Paper-folding mechanism



J.-O. FOWLER. PAPER FOLDING MECHANISM.

2 Sheets-Shet 1.

7 (No Model.)

No. 473,068. P'a tented Apr. 19', 1892.

(No Model.) 2' Sh eet- Sheet 2 J. 0. FOWLER. PAPER FOLDING MECHANISM.

No; 473,068. Patented Apr; 19, 1892.

77252662968. have 07:

' ence being had for such purpose to the ac- UNIT D STATES PATE TOFFICE.

JOSEPH O. FOWVLER, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PAPER-FOLDING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,068, dated April19, 1892.

Application filed July 7, 1891. Serial No. 398,709. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH O. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented newand useful Improvements in Paper-Folding Mechanisms, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to folding mechanisms for perfecting-presses, andmore especially for presses of the class shown in my pending applicationfiled of even date herewith and numbered in Serial 398,708, in which Ihave described a perfecting-press wherein the sheet receivessuccessively a first and second impression.

It is the purpose of my present invention to provide a folding mechanismadapted to the needs of presses of this type, but which may also be usedwith presses of a different orga'nization, whereby the process offolding shall be rendered continuous, rapid, and automatic throughout.

My invention consists to these ends in the several novel features ofconstruction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth,and then more particularly pointed out and defined in the claims whichconclude this specification.

To enable those skilled the art to which my invention pertains tounderstand the construction and use of said invention, I will proceed todescribe the same in detail, refercompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a front elevation of the folder. Fig. 2 is a vertical transversesection taken at the left-hand end of Fig. 1 near the end of the drum.Fig. 3 is an end view of the gear on the shaft of the folding drum orcylinder and the gearing of the upper foldingroll driven thereby. Fig. 4is a detail perspective of one end of the folding cylinder or drum, partof the shaft being broken away and the sleeve removed. Fig. 5 is adetail perspective of the broken part of the drum-shaft absent fromFig.4. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the tripping end of the sleeveon the drumshaft, showing the latch or dog operated thereby with theclearing-plate in dotted lines. Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal sectionof one end of the folder-drum, showing the parts complete.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates the cylinder ordrum of the folder, which consists of a metal shell of suitable lengthand having such diameter that the single sheet perfected by the presswill extend nearly around its exterior. The drum is carried by a shaft2, which extends beyond its ends. This shaft is provided at or near oneend with a gear 3, rigid 0n the shaft, which is supported in suitableboxes of any preferred form mounted in standards 4.

In the cylindrical wall of the drum 1 is a longitudinal slot extendingfrom end to end, and in said slot is arranged a clearing-plate 5,pivoted upon one edge and having apertures 7, through which, when theplate is closed to form a flush outer surface with the cylinder or drum,there project portions or sections of the edge of a serrated plate 8.-

By removing portions of the toothed edge of an ordinaryperforating-plate I obtain the pick-up device used in the folder, inwhich the points or serrations are preferably staggered or bent slightlyout of line to enable them to pick up and securely hold the edge of thesheet. On the end of the clearing-plate 5 is rigidly mounted an'arm 9,curved to lie whollywithin the flanged end of the drum and pressed by aspring 10, by-which the clearing-plate is constantly kept closed. Uponthe free end of this arm is a finger 12, extending outward inparallelism with the shaft and substantially at right angles with thearm. The shaft 2 of the drum is prolonged atboth ends and provided Wlthcollars 13, againstwhich lie the ends of sleeves 14, loose on the" shaftand provided at theouter ends with gears 15.. Upon each sleeve 14 ismounted a hub 16, forming part'of a gear 17, smaller than the gear 15and loose upon the sleeve 14, where it is confined by a clamp-collar 18.Encirclin'gthe sleeve on the other side of the gear and next to the drumor cylinder is a collar 19, having a set-screw 20, which may be turnedto engage with a groove '21 in the sleeve. The gear 17 is renderedadjustable upon the sleeve 14 by this construction, the purpose being toenable the folder to operate upon sheets of different size. Toaccomplish this, it is only necessary to move the gears 17 outward orinward to such points that the clamp-blocks 27 011 the dogs 24 willengage ICO the unprinted margins of the sheet, which project beyond theends of the drum 1. To permit this adjustment without unmeshing thegears 17 from the gears 38, the latter are 5 constructed with a wideface, as shown in Fig.

1. It is unnecessary to state that the collar 18 is made adjustable inorder to permit the adjustments of the gears 17 in both'directions andat the same time permit lateral play of the hub 16 and gear 17.

Upon the flat face of each gear 17 are'formed or mounted two opposite ornearly opposite blocks or bosses 22 and 23, upon the former of which ispivoted a dog 24, having upon its free end a projection 25, turnedinward or pointed toward the shaft and provided upon its back with-anadjustable plate 26, having a clamp-block 27 on its end. A spring. 28,

fastened by one end to the block 22 and press-- ing witlrthe other upona pin 29, throws the free end of the dog 24 inward. Upon the peripheryofthe collar 19is a cam projection or rib 30,. .which can be brought byrevolving either the collar or the gear, or both, into en- 2 5 gagementwith the projection 25 to throw the dog outward or toward the peripheryof the gear 17. Upon the other block 23 is pivotally mounted a latch-dogor clearing-lever 31, which is bent outward or toward the end of thedrum, and then in parallelism therewith,

its free end lying .nearly but not quiteopposite the free end ofthe-dog. Upon the end of'the latch-dog or clearing-lever is atrippingcam 32, formed upon and extending laterally from a point orprojection 33, turned inward like the projection 25 upon the dog 24.This projection lies in the path of a cam-rib 34 on the inner end of thesleeve 14, carrying the gear 15, as seen in Fig. 5. \Vhenever thiscam-rib engages the projection 33, the dog will ride up thereon and thetripping-camv 32 will be forced against the finger 12 on the arm 9,forcing .it outward, and thereby swinging the lever and-turning theclearing-plate 5 5 in such manner as to draw. it off the pointsprojecting through its apertures, as shown in dotted andfull lines inFig. 6.

, Journaled immediately in front of the cylinder or drum 1 arefolding-rolls 35 and 36,

5c preferably somewhat longer than the drum,

one of said rolls, as 35, being arranged to rotate very close to thesurface of the cylinder but not in actual contact, while the roll 36 isin permanent surface contact therewith. The

folding-rolls are geared together at one end,

and the roll 35 has its shaft geared by pinions 35 on its prolongedshaft with the gears 15 on the sleeves 14. I may run tapes or bands 36over'these rolls, or I may use them without.

115 of the roll 35 is geared to the shaft 39 of the other roll 36 bygears 40, and the roll 36 is driven by a gear 41 on the end of its shaftmeshing with the gear 3 on the shaft 2 of the cylinder 1.

The pinions 35 are a little more than half the diameter of the gears 38,the pitch-lines of the latter coinciding with the prolonged peripheralplane of the roll. 35. The diameters of the gears 15, on the other hand,are greater than the diameter of the drum 1, the diminution of thepinions 35 plus the increase of diameter of the gears 15, which aredriven by the pinions 35 giving one rotation of the sleeve 14 and collar19 to two complete revolutions of the gears 17 and dogs 24.

The drum 1 is carried in a direction opposite to the revolution of thegears 17 and dogs 24 for the following-reasons: The drum 1.is

rotated in such manner that the edge of the sheet picked up by thedevice 8 shall pass beneath the drum, between it and theroll 36,

and then over the top of the drum, as shown ment, but avoid a shockwhich would cause 1 rebound of the dogs 24, the cams 30 arecaused totravel in the same direction with said dogs but not at the same speed.The dogs 24 must evidently move in the opposite direction .of rotation,as regards .the drum 1, because their clamp-blocks 27 move with the.roll 35,.which revolves in a direction contrary to that of the roll 36and drum 1, the two latter moving together. This opposite revolution ofthe drum 1 and dog 24 is necessary in order that the two halves of thecentrally-folded sheet may be drawn off the drum and the fold carriedbetween-the rolls 35 and 36 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The dogs 24are mounted on independent disks or gears 17, because they travelin adirection opposite to that of the drum and shaft 2. I utilize the gears17 on which they are mounted, as a means for giving the necessarymovement tothe sleeves 14 and collars 19. The gears 17'are necessarilyindependent of each other, as they are at opposite ends of the drum.

The sheets are brought to the drum by tapes 43, running over rolls 44and 45 and then over one of the folding-rolls 36. revolved in oppositedirections with thesurface speed of the drum.

The drum revolves continuously in the direction indicated by the arrow;but the sleeve 14 and gear 15 and the gear 17 are rotated upon the shaft2 in an opposite direction, the gear 17 making two revolutions to theone revolution of the sleeve 14 and gear 15,the former carrying thecollar 19. The gear 17 is duplicated at each end of the drum-shaft, asalso is the gear 15 and sleeve 14 and the collar 19 and the dog 24. Theshaft/2 of the drum being the power-shaft of the folder, this gearinggives the desired results as to motion, and the same is readily adjustedby the size of the gears.

The paper sheets may be brought to the These rolls are I folder by anysuitable automatic delivery,

such as tapes. The travel of the sheet is so timed with relation to themovement of the drum that the serrations or perforating extremities 8will be brought by the rotary movement down upon the edge of the papersheet and driven through the same, which is thereby picked up by thedrum and drawn upon the latter. A central transverse line ofperforations or other marking by which the fold may be located andguided is formed in the. center of the sheet, and as this line isbrought nearly but not quite opposite the tangent plane of thefolding-rolls the pro jection 33 of the latch-dog or clearing-lever 31makes engagement with the cam-rib 34 on the sleeve 14, thereby operatingthe arm 9 and swinging the clearing-plate 5, by which the edge of thepaper is cast or stripped off the serrations of the pick-up device. Aninstant later, the line having meantime been brought into the tangentplane of the foldingrolls, the other and nearly opposite projection orcam 30 engages the projection 25 on the dog 24, throwing the latteroutward and forcing the clamp-block 27 against the paper, which iscrowded thereby against the roll 35, whereby that portion or half of thesheet lying above the line of told is caused to travel with the roll 35in a direction opposite to the movement of the cylinder. As the roll 36is in permanent contact with the drum, the other and lower half of thesheet is normally carried with the cylinder, and thus it will be seenthat the two halves of the -sheet are being driven in oppositedirections, and the only course it can take is to bend along the line offold and pass in between the rolls 35 and 36,

by which the fold is seized and the sheet drawn off, passing in foldedform between the two rolls and being delivered by'them or by theirtapes. In the meantime the pick-up device has engaged a second sheet, onwhich the operation is repeated, the action of the folder beingextremely rapid, simple, and accurate.

What I claim is 1. In a paper-folding mechanism, the combination, with adrum having means of picking up the edge of the sheet as the latter isfed to said folding mechanism, of a-pair of folding-rolls, one of whichis in constant contact with said drum, a dog pivoted on a support on theshaft of said drum and having opposite revolution, an independentsupport moving in the direction of movement of the dog, but making onecomplete revolution in the same time occupied by the dog in making aplurality of revolutions, by which the dog is projected outward to pressthe sheet against the roll not in contact with the drum, and means forautomatically disengaging the sheet from the pick-up devices,substantially as described. 7

2. In a paper-folding mechanism, the combination, with acontinuously-revolviug drum having a series of points or pick-up devicesto engage the edge of the sheet, of an independent support carrying adog having a clamp-block and a nearly-opposite clearinglever, a separatesupport carrying cam-ribs operating said dog and lever, and twofoldingrolls, one in constant contact with the drum and the other havingintermittent contact with the clamp-block on the dog, the support forthe latter and that for the cam-ribs having movement in'a directionopposite that of the drum, but at different speeds, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a paper-folding mechanism, the combination, with a drum having aclearing-plate pivoted in a slot in its surface and provided withapertures to allow points or pick-up devices to project radially throughthe same, said clearing-plate being provided with a spring-closedclearing-lever, of a sleeve loose on the drum-shaft and carrying a gearprovided with nearly-opposite pivotal supports,

a dog and a clearing-lever pivoted thereon, a collar having independentmovement on said sleeve and provided with cam-ribs, two folding-rolls,one in constant contact with the drum and the other having intermittentcontact with the dog, and gearing rotating the feed-rolls in oppositedirections and rotating the sleeve and collar in a direction opposite tothe revolution of the drum, but at different speed, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a folder for printing mechanisms, the combination, with acontinuously-revolving cylinder or drum having a pick-up device, of aclearer to strip the paper therefrom, a pair of folding-rolls, one ofwhich runs in contact with the surface of said cylinder, the secondfolding-roll being in surface contact with the first, sleeves loose onthe shaft of the cylinder and having gears meshing with pinions on theshaft of one of the folding-rolls, gears loose on said sleeves, dogspivoted on the said gears and provided with projections and havingclamp-blocks upon their free ends, collars positively connected to thesleeves and provided with cam-ribs, a latch-dog or clearing-leverpivoted to one of said gears and having a free end provided with a pointor projection adapted to engageacam-rib on one of the collars a littlein advance of the operate the clearer, and means for operating" the dogand lever and for feeding the sheets to the cylinder automatically,substantially as described.

6. In afolding mechanism, the combination, with a continuouslyrevolvingcylinder or drum having a pick-up device and provided with a clearer, ofmeans for automatically forming the fold and drawing the sheet OK thecylinder, the same consisting of two folding-rolls having contact witheach other, one of said rolls having continuous surface contact with thecylinder, dogs carried by pivoted supports revolving oppositely to thecylinder, means for actuating .the clearer, and devices operating thedogs an instant later to press clamp-blocks carried by them against thepaper on the cylinder and press it against the folding-roll which is outof contact with the cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofi I have hereunto set I 5 my hand and affixed myseal in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH o. FOWLER. [n s.]

Witnesses:

GEO. W. REA, J AMES A. RUTHERFORD.

